Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1887-05-26


home. wife or parents, rushing brave
ly, buoyantly and unquestioningly to
the call Of his country, has borne the
pangs Of martyrdom and shall he not,
too, bcnr the glory Of itp II say unto
YOU, no man can do more than this
that he lay down his life for friend"
Down from the great Teacher Of the
world came echoing these words which
place the soldier among tho great Of
the earth: he laid dowh his life for
home and country--hc hath done what
he could.
II does not seem quarter Of a
century since they whose names con-
front us on marble tablets were
among us, fired with the carncstness
and valcr Of patriotism. Though not
rcmcml cred with the ranror OF old.
those days viii never be forgotten.
Babes yet unborn win, for generations,
he told the thrilling story Of those
years. The women and children who
stayed at homo waiting, with white
lips and palpitating hearts, for news
from the seat of war-these are the
ones upon whose hearts nre engraved
memories which Nc indelible, and
which shall low In the lifc-blood
Ut their children's children. Oh those
days Of waiting and wishingl Have
they ever, can they ever, be pictured
graphically enoughp The rushing
about Of troops-the recruiting offices,
with their constant excitement, the
preparations Of supplies by willing
hands, the letters full Of cheer from
the front, the waiting for the dreaded
newspaper after the battle, when the
long lists Of killed, wounded and miss
Ing were devoured with wide-oyed and
expcctant horror. the dull, cold
anguish, only to bo outlivcd by years,
which came when loved name was
found In these fatal lists. VIII the
children Of those days ever forget
these things, or their children after
themP Even at this day, who can
hear the melancholy music Of the fife
and drum without recalling the sol
dier's funeral, the mufIled drum. the
dead march, the brave hero coflined In
his uniform; dead, perhaps, with a
bullet in his breast, while leading an
assault, or, sadder still. dead among
strangers, far from home, after long
days of suffering. The pathos of It is
enough TO soften hearts Of adamant.
Family, family, did the robe Of sable,
the vail of Grape, express the unspeak-
able woo which, black and crushing,
fell upon happy hearts in those
troublous times.
NJ. reminders Of the old war days
are a out me. Occasionally one may
see upon some old man, who Is perhaps
proud Of II, an army overcoat, with
its long. dangling skirt of blue, its
cap aud government brass buttons.
That coat is sacred rs the mantle of
Elijah, and he who can view that hon
ored garment unmoved Is callous, In
deed. Nearly every home In the land
has its souvenir Of the war, rendered
precious by the memory Of its possess
or. Reverently and lovingly rs were
the Lares and Penates Of old, are these
relics cnshrlned in places Of honor and
pointed 10 with tender pride. Some
times II is a sword Of the newly-Aedged
young officer; sometimes a canteen, a
knapsack or n tattered flag Or per-
haps a portrait Of "boy in blue"
hangs over the fireplace, and the vis-
itor in the household must hear the
story Of his brave young life told in
fearful reverence by those who loved
him. With such reminders as these in
half OF the homes of our land, think
you that Memorial Day will ever be-
come an empty name? Think you
these graves. and o, how many there
arel will be left ungarlanded on this
dAyp Think you the time can come
when the soldiers grave will not be
hallowed ground? No; as God and
the Right liveth. No! Rather do we
wish that these frail, ephemeral bios
SONS. sweet as they are delicate, might
defy the laws Of nature and. glorified
by their mission of marking a soldiers
grave. might bloom forever; immor-
telles. nm sh1velled. unfaded, undying,
sending up a perpetual perfume en-
blematic Of the unseliish. undaunted
patriotism Of a soldiers heart
The most pathetic feature Of Mem
orial Day, however, is not the hang
ing Of wrccths and emblems upon the
lofty monuments which mark the rest
ing-places Of those known aud hon
Ored in life. IL is the decoration Of the
nameless grave which shows the real
beauty of the custom. Dead herol
deprived Of a resting-place near those
Of your kindred, defrauded by fate Of
even name upon your foOt-stone.
to-day you are remembered with rev.
erence and gratitude. The fairest.
sweetest flowers rest upon you. God
knows who it is beneath the turf, and
we know you by th> glorious name Of
Soldier Though withcred flowers are
ever on your grave. and each season
Of bloom brings fresh coronet to
mark the spot the grave is. though
nameless. cherished and honored by
the Nation among its most precious
| possessions.
The custom Of marking the graves
Of the departed Is prehistoric. Every
thing which love can devise has. In
a 4 4 N